Deuteronomy 19:2–9

^2bThou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. ³Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. ⁴And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: ^cWhoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not ^†in time past; ⁵As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the ^†head slippeth from the ^†helve, and ^†lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: ⁶Lest ^dthe avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and ^†slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not ^†in time past. ⁷Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee. ^8eAnd if the Lord thy God ^eenlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and ^fgive thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; ⁹If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; ^gthen shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three: